"The turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them" (Prov. 1:32).
If any person wants to follow the path of wisdom delineated in the book of Proverbs, he must be changed at the root. He must be made new by the Spirit of Wisdom. Without the indwelling of the Spirit and His life-changing, regenerative work in the soul, no man can follow the ways of God. The inspired words of Scripture would remain stillborn on the page. Only by the power of God can these come alive for the sinner.
Solomon describes in sober detail the fate of those who do not have this new life—the overwhelming fear of death without Christ, the absence of hope as Christ turns His face from those who refuse Him. In this passage, Christ speaks in the personification of Wisdom, warning us to turn from our ways and follow Him. Those who refuse His reproof, who love their folly instead of wisdom, who disregard the outstretched hand of Christ, who disdain His counsel will find only silence when the time of prayer has passed.
Every person should heed the seriousness of this passage. Its importance should be impressed upon the conscience of every man, woman, and child. A time will come when fear of death and affliction will consume every person uncovered by the death of Christ, when distress will cause them to consider the judgment of God. Those who have grown hard in their sin will find no comfort in Christ. They will be filled only with the fruit of their own way. In the end all they will find is God’s anger and the dreadful realization of deserved punishment. “Does this unmeasured wrath seem inconsistent with a God of love?” Bridges asked. “ ‘The Lord our God is a consuming fire.’ And think of His knowledge, instead of being a delight, being hated; His fear not chosen; none of His gracious counsel regarded; all His reproof despised. Is it not just, that the sinner, thus obstinately bent upon the choice of his own way, should not only gather, but eat the fruit of it?”
None of us knows when death will come to us. Therefore, “seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isa. 55:6). Answer the call of wisdom before she grows silent. Listen to the warning of Christ and turn at His reproof, that you might dwell in safety and “be secure, without fear of evil.”
Jesus promises in this passage that if you turn at His reproof He will pour out His Spirit on you. This is like saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Have you repented of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ? If you have not, answer wisdom’s call today by confessing and turning from your sins.
